HEA board fills vacant seats

The Homer Electric Board of Directors appointed two people to fill vacant board seats at a special meeting Wednesday evening.

The seats were in District 3 (Kasilof, south to the Kachemak Bay area) and were vacant as a result of the resignations of former board members Brian Hirsch and Mike Pate, both of Homer.

Wednesday, the HEA Board interviewed 15 people who applied for the open seats. Following the interview process, the Board selected Mike Wiley of Clam Gulch and Bill Fry of Homer to fill the vacancies.

Wiley will fill the seat previously held by Mike Pate. Wiley will serve out the remaining term, which expires in May 2011. Wiley has been a member of HEA for approximately 40 years and currently owns and operates a family set-net site in the Clam Gulch area. He has experience as a field engineer, laborer, and educator. He has also served on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, the Kenai Peninsula School Board, and is currently on the board of the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association.

Bill Fry of Homer was selected to fill out the remaining term of the seat vacated by Brian Hirsch. That term expires in May of this year. Fry and his wife own Bear Creek Winery in Homer. He has been a member of Homer Electric Association for 34 years. His work experience also includes 18 years as a water well contractor and 20 years working on the North Slope oil field.